“I’d apologize, except I tried to warn you,” Serena said as I opened the door.
I leaned against the door jamb. “I had a great time.”
“You lie. My father was like the Spanish inquisition.”
I shrugged. “He’s not the first to question my intentions.”
She quirked a brow. “I guess lots of fathers have had a run at you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Your insecurities are showing.” I leaned forward, not caring if her parents could see. I kissed her cheek.
“You do plan to take Andrew to see your plane sometime, don’t you? I hate to hold you to that, but you can’t promise a kid something and not deliver.”
I jerked back, once again annoyed at the type of person she apparently thought I was. “You still think I’m an asshole? That I’d use a fake promise to your son to get into your pants?”
“No. I didn’t mean it like that I just—”
“Yes. I plan to take him for a ride in the plane. If you’re nice, maybe you can come too.”
She looked down. “I know I’m a bitch to you.”
“I keep waiting for you to stop.” I grinned at her to let her know I wasn’t mad. Annoyed, yes, but I was wearing her down, so that was something.
She gave me a wan smile. “I’m not sure why you keep bothering.”
“I like being around your kid.”
I expected her to smile at that. Instead she flinched first, and then she smiled, but it didn’t look genuine. To be honest, sometimes I wondered why I stuck around. If only I could figure out what was going on with her that made her so unreachable sometimes.
19
Serena
I felt like I usually did these days as I watched Devin walk away; guilty. I should be happy that he liked Andrew and that Andrew seemed taken with him. I should feel good that he was willing to endure my father’s scrutiny. But everything in my life boiled down to the fact that I was lying about Andrew and until that came out, I’d never be free of the guilt.
“Serena.” My father’s stern voice called me from where he sat in his chair in the living room. My mom and Andrew had disappeared into the kitchen.
“I should help Mom.” I started toward the table to finish clearing.
“Come here.”
I felt like I was ten years old and about to get in trouble.
“What’s up?” I asked sitting on the couch.
“What was all that about running off with him five years ago?”
“Oh, that?” I waved my hand to show it was no big deal. “It was just a joke.”
His narrow eyes studied me and I felt like they could see right through me. “How was it that you met him?”
I blew out a breath, resolved to have to explain something. “He and his friend came into the restaurant I was working in on St. Patrick's a few years back. He was bored with his usual group so he went with us on the pub crawl. We hung out some the next week and then he moved to Europe.” I made a “that’s all there is to it” shrug and started to stand.
“Sit. I’m not done.”
I stayed seated and hoped my face was impassive.
“Were you going to run off with him?”
“No.” I lied. “I told him my parents said I couldn’t go. I don’t know why you’re harping on this. We were just being silly kids.”
He nodded and I was feeling like I’d dodged a bullet.
“Five years ago. St. Patrick's, huh?”
My stomach rolled. “Hmm hmm.”
He started counting on his fingers I knew I was sunk. He reached the ninth finger. “December. Same month as Andrew was born.”
I closed my eyes as one of my fears was realized.
“Serena.” His sharp voice made me blink open in my eyes. “Is that boy Andrew’s father?”
I looked toward the kitchen, not wanting Andrew to hear. When I turned back, I faced my father’s disappointed expression.
“Yes. But he doesn’t know.”
My father’s eyes narrowed even more. “What?”
“Devin doesn’t know about Andrew.”
“You’re telling me that you had Devin Roarke’s child and never told him?”
I looked toward the kitchen again, desperate to not have Andrew here this. “He left and I couldn’t reach him,” I said, knowing it was a dumb defense.
“He wasn’t on Mars. He has family here. Family that could be a big help to you. They can provide things for Andrew that we can’t.”
“No, they wouldn’t,” I said, tersely.
My father jerked back, surprised at my sharp denial.
I leaned forward so I could speak low. “I went to his mother and she told me to never tell him. She even offered me money to go away. Maybe I should have taken it, but it felt wrong.”
“Why that selfish, elitist…” He didn’t finish his statement. He stood, and went to his little liquor cabinet, and poured himself more whiskey. “Why haven’t you told him now?”
Really? After what his mother did to me, he thought I should tell him. “Because I don’t want his mother anywhere near Andrew.”
“That’s not your call. I’m surprised at you, Serena. We raised you better than that.”
I hated disappointing my father, but I’d do that before I risked Andrew’s happiness. “What if she shuns him?”
“What if she did?”
“What if he fought for custody?”
He flinched and inhaled a deep breath. “A father has rights, Serena. It’s not fair to him or Andrew. It’s not your choice to make. He has to know and the chips fall where they may. And if there’s a fight, we’ll help you. The Roarkes have money and influence, but they also have a reputation they’d like to keep clean. It won’t look good that his mother offered you money.”
“They’d have to believe her,” I said, knowing I couldn’t fight them.
“If you think he’s like his mother, why did you invite him to this house?” He sat in his chair again.
“I don’t think he’s like his mom.”
“So let him deal with
